META: santralistanbul in Eyüp: energy museum in the former Silahtarağa power station (1914), Bilgi University campus, opening hours, access and visiting tips. The Silahtarağa power station, at the head of the Golden Horn, supplied Istanbul with electricity from 1914 to 1983: it was the first power station of the Ottoman Empire. Renovated, it became santralistanbul in 2007, a cultural complex on the campus of Istanbul Bilgi University. The energy museum preserves the original large turbines and boilers; the complex also includes contemporary art exhibition spaces, concert halls, a library and an amphitheatre. It is an unusual visit, far from the historic centre, for lovers of industrial architecture. Allow one to one and a half hours.
Highlights
The turbine hall
The big machines and metal walkways of the 1914 power station can be visited under the original roof structure.
The energy museum
It traces the history of electricity production in Istanbul through the preserved installations.
Contemporary art exhibitions
The former buildings host temporary exhibitions depending on the programme.
The campus on the Golden Horn
The site opens onto a park and the water, away from the noise of the centre.
Practical info
Tips
According to the energy museum's website, admission is free; paid guided tours are available on request (rates and booking to be confirmed with the museum). Check the hours before going: the museum closes on official public holidays and on 1 January. The site is far from the centre: combine it with Eyüp and Pierre Loti Hill, Balat and Fener or the Golden Horn. For other contemporary art visits, see contemporary art galleries in Istanbul.
How to get there
Former Silahtarağa power station, Kazım Karabekir Caddesi No. 2/13, Eyüpsultan, Istanbul. From Eyüp, take a bus or a taxi to Silahtarağa. Check the route in a transport app before leaving. Details: Transport in Istanbul.
Opening hours
Nearby
See on the map →
Comments
No comments yet.